A report on Thursday filtered the internet that gunmen on Tuesday attacked the maternity hospital and kidnapped four newborn babies.
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the security agencies to, as a matter of urgency, intensify efforts in reducing criminal activities in the South East region of the country.
President Buhari gave the directives while reacting to the reported attack and kidnap of four newborn babies in Stanley Hospital, Nkpologwu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State on Thursday.
A report on Thursday filtered the internet that gunmen on Tuesday attacked the maternity hospital and kidnapped four newborn babies.
Reacting to the report, Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement on Friday said that “President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock over the reported kidnapping of five newborn babies in Anambra State, directing that the rising crime rate in the areas be reduced without any delay.
“The reported kidnapping occurred at Stanley Hospital, Nkpologwu in the state. The attackers picked the babies and zoomed off.
“In expressing his concern about the strange incident, President Buhari said this case must be solved immediately. He directed that security at hospitals must be foolproof so that attacks of this nature do not happen again.”
However, Blessing Okeke, a Facebook user, on Thursday had said the report was fake.
Blessing said, "Disregard this rumour, please. I just confirmed that it's all lies. I called someone who told me that she went there immediately she heard the news because she has someone that put to bed there. It's not true, please.
"I wonder what people stand to gain from spreading this kind of traumatic rumour around."
Also, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said he did not have such information before him.
Similarly, the Anambra State government in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu, said the report was fake as there was no attack or kidnap of babies in the reported area.
In the statement captioned, ‘There was no gunmen attack anywhere in Anambra State’, Nwosu said, “There are reports currently flying around the social media by supposedly respectable national media that gunmen attacked a maternity hospital in Anambra State and abducted four (4) new born babies.
“The report neither stated the name of the hospital nor the identities of the mothers whose babies were abducted.
“The Government of Anambra State wishes to state in very clear terms that the report is NOT TRUE. No such attack took place in Anambra State and no babies were abducted.
“These are mere fictitions, sponsored through dishonest and unethical reporters to create fear among Ndi Anambra, but they will not succeed as the Government has ensured there is enough boots on ground to protect our people this Yuletide. Anybody that dares the government resolve to ensure a peaceful season will only have himself to blame.
“Government is urging Ndi Anambra to go about their normal businesses without fear.”